French comic abandons disputed show

PARIS—A French comic who has been repeatedly convicted of inciting racial hatred or anti-Semitism has agreed to abandon a controversial show banned in multiple cities.

Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala's act angered the French government and drew widespread attention in recent weeks.

A Paris performance Saturday was banned by authorities. Several police vans lined the street outside the Paris theater, and disappointed fans gathered outside.

Afterward, the comedian told a news conference he will no longer perform his "Le Mur" act but plans a new show. He insisted he's not anti-Semitic and said, "I upset a lot of people and I will continue to do so, through laughter."

He has derided the Holocaust and popularized the "quenelle" hand gesture, which some describe as an inverted Nazi salute.